Psalms 35
1 “Of David.” Contend, O Lord, with those that contend with me: fight against those that fight against me.
Yahweh, fight against those who fight against me! Fight against [my enemies] when they fight me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up for my help.
Be [like] a shield [DOU] to protect me and come to help me!
3 And draw out the spear, and step in against my pursuers; say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Lift up your spear [DOU] and [throw it] at those who pursue me! Promise me that you will enable me to defeat [my enemies].
4 Let those be put to shame and be confounded that seek after my life: let those be turned backward and be made to blush, that devise unhappiness for me.
Cause those who are trying to kill me to be defeated and disgraced! Cause those who are planning to do evil things to me to be pushed back and become confused!
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind; and may the angel of the Lord cast them forth.
Send your angel to pursue them, and as a result cause them to disappear like chaff/straw blown away by the wind!
6 May their way be dark and slippery: and may the angel of the Lord pursue them.
Cause the path on which they run to be dark and slippery as your angel pursues them!
7 For without cause have they hidden for me their net in a pit, without cause have they dug [pit-falls] against my life.
Although I did not do anything wrong to them, they concealed a deep pit for me to fall into; they hid a net in which they would catch me.
8 May then destruction come upon each of them at unawares; and may his net that he hath hidden catch himself: in [utter] destruction let him fall therein.
Cause them to suddenly experience disaster! Cause them to be trapped in their own nets! Cause them to fall into the pits that they have dug for me and disappear!
9 But my soul shall exult in the Lord: she shall be glad through his salvation.
Then I will be joyful about what you, Yahweh, have done for me, I will be glad that you have rescued me.
10 All my bones will say, Lord, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?
With my whole inner being [SYN] I will say, “There is no one like Yahweh [RHQ]! No one else can rescue helpless people from powerful people [RHQ]. No one else can rescue weak and needy people from those who want to rob them.”
11 There rise up witnesses of violence; concerning what I know not they question me.
People who tell lies stand in court and falsely accuse me of doing things that I do not know [anything] about.
12 They recompense me with evil in place of good, [bringing] bereavement on my soul.
In return for my doing good things for them, they do evil things to me, with the result that I feel that I am alone.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted with fasting my soul, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
When they were ill, I showed that I was sad. I did not eat any food, and I bowed my head as I prayed [for them].
14 As though he had been to me a friend or a brother did I walk about: as one that mourneth for a mother did I sorrowfully bend down my head.
I mourned and bowed my head as I prayed as though it was a friend or my mother for whom I was grieving.
15 But in my downfall they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; there gathered themselves together against me abject wretches, whom I knew not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
But when I had troubles, they were all happy about it. They gathered around to make fun of me. Strangers struck me, and they would not stop.
16 With hypocritical babbling mockers, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Worthless people ridicule me and snarl at me.
17 O Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, from the young lions my solitary spirit.
Yahweh, how long will you only watch them doing this? Rescue me from their attacking me; Save me from being killed by these men who are attacking me like [MET] lions [that are attacking other animals]
18 I will thank thee in the great assembly: among a mighty people will I praise thee.
Then, when many of your people gather, I will praise you and I will thank you in front of all of them.
19 Let not rejoice over me those that are my enemies wrongfully: [nor] let those who hate me without cause wink with the eye.
Do not allow my enemies, who tell lies about me, defeat me and then rejoice! Do not allow those who hate me when there in no reason to hate me to (smirk/smile happily)!
20 For they speak not peace; but against the quiet in the land they devise deceitful words.
They do not talk peacefully to people; instead, they seek ways to tell lies about people who are peaceful.
21 Yea, they opened wide against me their mouth; they said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
They shout at me, to accuse me, saying, “We saw the wrong things that you did!”
22 Thou hast seen it, O Lord! remain not silent: O Lord, be not far from me.
Yahweh, you have seen these things, so do not be silent! Do not stay far from me!
23 Arouse thyself, and awake to do me justice, my God and my Lord, unto my cause.
Arise, my God, and plead my case in court, and successfully defend me!
24 Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice over me.
Yahweh, my God, because you are righteous, prove that I am innocent in order that my enemies will not be able to gloat [that I was judged to be guilty].
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, [this is the wish of] our soul: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Do not allow them to be able to say to themselves, “Yes, we have gotten rid of him [IDM] just like we desired!”
26 Let those be made ashamed and put to the blush together that rejoice at my mishap; let them be clothed with shame and confusion that magnify themselves above me.
Cause those who rejoice about my misfortunes to be completely defeated and disgraced; cause those who boast that they are much greater than me to be disgraced and dishonored!
27 Let those shout, and rejoice, that desire my righteousness: yea, let them say continually, Great is the Lord, who desireth the welfare of his servant.
But cause those who desire that I be acquitted to be happy and shout joyfully, and cause them to continually say, “Yahweh is great! He is delighted to cause things to go well for those who serve him.”
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, all the day of thy praise.
Then I will proclaim that you act righteously, and I will praise you all day long.
